CVE-2025-69352

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-69352 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability in the WordPress plugin The Events Calendar by StellarWP, affecting versions from n/a through 6.15.12.2. This flaw allows an authenticated attacker with low privileges to exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels, potentially leading to unauthorized modification or disclosure of event data. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 5.4 (Medium) and currently has no known public exploit or patch. Given its presence in a widely used WordPress plugin, the risk is elevated for sites running the affected versions.

Supply Chain & Package Security

This vulnerability affects a WordPress plugin distributed via the official WordPress plugin repository and potentially through commercial channels. As a WordPress ecosystem issue, it does not directly impact NPM, PyPI, Go, or Ruby packages. However, organizations using The Events Calendar should verify their plugin version and apply any available updates from StellarWP immediately.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Score: 5.4 (Medium)
• Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
• Attack Vector: Network
• Attack Complexity: Low
• Privileges Required: Low
• User Interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality Impact: Low
• Integrity Impact: Low
• Availability Impact: None

The threat level is Medium due to the low complexity and network attack vector, but the requirement for low privileges reduces the immediate risk to unauthenticated attackers. However, any authenticated user (e.g., subscriber) could potentially exploit this to access or modify event data.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability stems from a Missing Authorization check (CWE-862) in the plugin's REST API or AJAX handlers. The Events Calendar likely exposes endpoints for creating, reading, updating, or deleting events without properly verifying that the current user has the required capabilities (e.g., edit_posts, manage_options). An attacker with a low-privileged account (e.g., subscriber) can send crafted HTTP requests to these endpoints to perform actions reserved for higher-privileged users (e.g., editor, admin).

The affected component is likely the Tribe__Events__REST__V1__Endpoints__Single_Event or similar class that handles event CRUD operations. The missing current_user_can() check allows unauthorized access.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Vulnerable Code (<= 6.15.12.2):

// In a REST endpoint handler
public function create( WP_REST_Request $request ) {
    // Missing capability check
    $event_data = $this->prepare_event_data( $request );
    $event_id = tribe_create_event( $event_data );
    return new WP_REST_Response( $event_id, 201 );
}

Patched Code (Hypothetical):

public function create( WP_REST_Request $request ) {
    if ( ! current_user_can( 'edit_posts' ) ) {
        return new WP_Error( 'rest_forbidden', __( 'Sorry, you are not allowed to create events.' ), array( 'status' => 403 ) );
    }
    $event_data = $this->prepare_event_data( $request );
    $event_id = tribe_create_event( $event_data );
    return new WP_REST_Response( $event_id, 201 );
}

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team

1. Prerequisites: A WordPress site running The Events Calendar <= 6.15.12.2 with a low-privileged user account (e.g., subscriber).
2. Exploit Steps:
   • Authenticate as the low-privileged user and obtain a nonce or cookie.
   • Send a crafted POST request to the vulnerable REST endpoint (e.g., /wp-json/tribe/events/v1/events).
   • Include event data in the request body.
   • If successful, the event will be created without proper authorization.

Example cURL command:

curl -X POST https://target.com/wp-json/tribe/events/v1/events \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-WP-Nonce: <nonce>" \
  -d '{"title":"Unauthorized Event","start_date":"2025-01-01 00:00:00","end_date":"2025-01-01 23:59:59"}'

Blue Team

1. Detection: Monitor for unusual REST API requests to /wp-json/tribe/events/v1/events from low-privileged users.
2. Mitigation: Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block requests to the vulnerable endpoint from users without the edit_posts capability.
3. Hunting: Review logs for 201 responses to event creation requests from subscriber-level users.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• Network IOCs:
  • POST requests to /wp-json/tribe/events/v1/events from authenticated users with low privileges.
  • Unusual event creation timestamps or content from non-admin users.
• File IOCs:
  • Modified event entries in the wp_posts table with post_type = 'tribe_events' created by unexpected users.
• Log IOCs:
  • WordPress debug log entries showing REST API errors or unauthorized access attempts.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2025_69352_Missing_Auth {
    meta:
        description = "Detects missing authorization in The Events Calendar plugin"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-01-01"
        reference = "CVE-2025-69352"
    strings:
        $vuln_func = "tribe_create_event" ascii wide nocase
        $missing_check = "current_user_can" ascii wide nocase
    condition:
        $vuln_func and not $missing_check
}

Sigma Rule

title: CVE-2025-69352 - Missing Authorization in The Events Calendar
id: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc
status: experimental
description: Detects unauthorized event creation via REST API
author: Valters IT
date: 2025-01-01
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: apache
detection:
    selection:
        cs-method: 'POST'
        cs-uri-query|contains: '/wp-json/tribe/events/v1/events'
        sc-status: 201
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate event creation by authorized users
level: medium

Suricata Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2025-69352 - Missing Authorization in The Events Calendar"; flow:to_server,established; content:"POST"; http_method; content:"/wp-json/tribe/events/v1/events"; http_uri; content:"X-WP-Nonce"; http_header; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

1. Immediate Action: Disable the plugin or restrict access to the vulnerable endpoints via .htaccess or WAF rules until a patch is available.
2. Patch: Apply the official update from StellarWP once released. Monitor the plugin's changelog for version > 6.15.12.2.
3. Workaround: Implement a custom plugin or mu-plugin that adds capability checks to the vulnerable REST endpoints.
4. Long-term: Regularly update all WordPress plugins and themes. Use a security plugin to monitor for unauthorized changes.

Valters IT
Securing Digital Frontiers